EARTH SCIENCE
Atlas of Sedimentary Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary rocks are rocks composed of sediment. Sediment can be composed of rock or mineral fragments, organic debris or chemicals dissolved in water. Sediments are deposited in a number of environments of deposition, by both moving air and moving water.The links below are an attempt to show the common types of clastic, chemical and biologic sedimentary rocks and some of the varieties that are found. It is by no means a complete list of the types and varieties that are found in the world.
Atlas of Sedimentary Rocks | ||||
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Rock Name / Image | Texture | Composition | Images | |
Arkose | Clastic | Feldspar and quartz sand and gravel | Close-up1• | |
Bauxite | Chemical | Carbonate and gibbsite Al(OH)3 | Close-up1• | |
Chalk | Biologic | Foraminifera shells and calcite | Close-up1• | |
Chert | Chemical or Biologic | Silica / quartz | Close-up1• | |
Conglomerate | Clastic | Quartz sand and gravel | Close-up1• | |
Dolostone | Chemical | Dolomite, with minor calcite and quartz | Close-up1• | |
Graywacke | Clastic | Lithic sand | Close-up1• | |
Limestone (Cherty) | Chemical and Biologic | Calcite, chert | Close-up1• | |
Limestone (Fossiliferous, Encrinal) | Biologic | Calcite and crinoid fragments | Close-up1• | |
Limestone (Hematite) | Chemical | Calcite, hematite, and fossil fragments | Close-up1• | |
Limestone (Oolitic) | Biologic | Calcite oolites and fossil fragments | Close-up1• | |
Limestone (Sandy Silty) | Chemical/Clastic | Calcite breccia, quartz sand and silt, hematite | Close-up1• | |
Oolite (Siliceous) | Chemical | Quartz pseudomorphs of carbonate oolites | Close-up1• | |
Phosphorite | Chemical | Collophane [Fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F] | Close-up1• | |
Rock Anhydrite | Chemical | Anhydrite | Close-up1• | |
Rock Gypsum | Chemical | Gypsum | Close-up1• | |
Sandstone (Argillaceous) | Clastic | Quartz sand with hematite | Close-up1• | |
Sandstone (Glauconitic) | Clastic | Quartz sand | Close-up1• | |
Sandstone (Hematite) | Clastic | Quartz sand with hematite | Close-up1• | |
Sandstone (Quartz) | Clastic | Quartz sand | Close-up1• | |
Shale (Argillaceous) | Clastic | Silt | Close-up1• | |
Shale (Oil) | Clastic | Silt and petroleum | Close-up1• | |
Siderite Rock | Chemical | Siderite, quartz and chlorite | Close-up1• | |
Siltstone | Clastic | Quartz sand | Close-up1• | |
Tufa (Calcareous) | Chemical | Calcite | Close-up1• |